Carnival
by RaptorX5
Summary: A short piece about how a 12-year-old X-5 fulfilled Zack’s order to keep moving at all times to evade detection. Centered on Zane. The title kind of explains it all. chapter two now up! (2/?)
1. Wanna go for a Ride?

****

It had taken him two years after Zack had given the order to split up on the fateful night of the escape to find a place where he felt he truly fit. He knew he loved animals, he knew he had to keep moving because thought were his orders and he knew no matter how irrational it was that he wanted to be around people and make them happy. Zack had told them that once they were out the enemy would be all around them, but the people Zane met didn't seem like the enemy that they had been taught to fear. Zack would have frowned upon Zane's decision and maybe even forbid him not to do it, but Zane was above orders now. Well all orders except keeping on the move and honoring the family above all else, those were orders he'd never disobey. He had been wandering through the deserts of Arizona when he saw it, a mirage of reality. Tent poles poking out from the horizon line and a foreign sound to his ears, the sound of collective laughter. He'd been drawn to it with the same feeling in his stomach he had gotten when the Blue Lady answered on of Ben's prayers, or when he caught one of his younger siblings smiling. Zane looked very different from the soldier he had once been. In the short amount of time he had been free he'd learned to replace the Manticore mask or indifference for one of quiet amusement or feigned interest. He had never cut his hair since the day he'd climbed the fence with Krit at his side, now it hung shoulder length, shaggy and dirty blonde. 

He wandered the fair ground for a long time dazzled by the sensory information he was receiving. The screams of simulated fear, the smell of adrenaline mixed with the sweetness of the confections, the bright twinkling multi colored lights and children's laughter. It was great; it embodied everything he felt freedom should have been. He wandered around for so long he hadn't even noticed the fairway growing desolate and dark. He felt oddly safe and calm here and didn't notice the venerability he had put himself in. He hadn't even seen a single sector policeman since he'd arrived. 

"Shouldn't you be heading home son?" One of the carnival people approached him from the shadows. He leaned against a pole smoking a cigarette and gave a slight hacking couch. 

Zane jumped and dropped into a defensive stance only making him look completely startled. He reprimanded himself for not being more careful no one besides Max or Zack could even sneak up on him. He had let his guard down and was ashamed by it. 

"No." Zane answered with a curt shake of his head slowly backing up.

"Take it easy kid," The man flicked the end of his cigarette drawing Zane's attention back to the pole behind him. 

Zane squinted in order to zero in his vision and read the words printed on the sign. 

The man followed his gaze. "Looking for work, kido?" The man smiled and it didn't take Zane's supped-up vision to see he was missing more then a few teeth. 

Zane made the split second decision and nodded once the mask of feigned interest playing across his face. "Actually I am, sir."

The man extended a grubby, work calloused hand which just moments before had discarded the cigarette. "The name's Zack, how about yours?"

Zane allowed himself a small smile before he even realized what he'd heard. The man's name being Zack had to be a good sign. He stared down at the man's hand. "Zane."

This Zack dropped his hand and then ran it casually through his hair. "You're a little young. . . but I'll take you in to see Max. He runs this whole company."

Another sibling's name, this was almost too good to be true. "I'd appreciate that." Zane nodded again and fell into step with the older man. 

The owner Max had hired Zane on the spot. The more the merrier, he had said gladly taking Zane on board. He went on to explain that they didn't pay much but it would give Zane freedom as well as a home and there was always a chance that he could get paid more by doing more in the future. Zane shared a trailer with Zack who kind of took him in both as an apprentice as well as looking out for him. They started him off as a barker at the rifle booth that Zack owned and operated. It was the kind of game where you had to shoot the little red star out of the center of the card. Zack leaned on the padded counter top and shot out the star.

"Let's see what you can do." Zack said handing Zane the rifle. It was early in the day, well before the time when the marks would show up and Zack had just finished showing Zane how to set up the booth. Now he was testing Zane. 

Zane crouched down with the riffle level on the padded counter as Zack had done. He leveled his shoulder with the riffle and got the star into his sights before he raised the gun and pulled the trigger shooting out a perfect circle around the star which made it fall out of the card and flutter to the ground. 

Zack clasped him on the back and ruffled his hair. "You're a natural Zane my boy." He motioned to Max and a few other carnies that were standing around near by. "Check this kid out!"

Zack had no idea how right he'd been about Zane. He was a natural; a natural killing machine, being good with weaponry was in his genetics.

Zack set up the booth again and handed the rifle, "Do it again if you can."

Of course he could do it again, at least the years of target practice hadn't been a complete waste of his time. Zane grinned lightly and lined the star up in his sights repeating the exercise again. The crowd cheered and Zane's ability became Zack's new hook for the game. 'It was so easy even a kid could do it', then Zane would show off his skills. 

One of the carnies seemed really impressed. He was a boy about Zane's age, twelve or so, wearing tights and a leotard. He stepped up behind Zane. "Hey, how'd you do that?"

"My dad taught me before the pulse and before he and my mother were killed. He was in the military." Zane spurted the story off of the top of his head. It sounded like a good cover story, but he had never been good with covert-ops. Ben and Tinga always came up with cover up stories. 

"Ouch," The boy made a face, obviously Zane's story had worked. "I'm sorry. My name's Chris, what's yours?"

"Zane."

Chris's eyes were shining and the stench of excitement poured off of him. "Could you teach me Zane? Zack says I'm a lost cause, but I think your better then him anyway."

Zack made a face but secretly the old man agreed with Chris. "Let's see if you have any better luck, I can't teach him. Give it your best shot, you teach him."

Zane winched it almost sounded like an order, almost. The wiry boy might have quick reflexes but he was not soldier material. Zane was afraid he might fall back on too much of his Manticore training if he tried to teach the other boy.

"I could try. . ." Zane answered stiffly, he wasn't too sure about this. 

Zack set up the game again and handed the rifle to Chris. "Thanks." He smiled at Zane. 

But Zane was gone, 339472411217 immediately took his place. "Show me what you can do!" He snapped.

Chris winched and took aim. The card looked like Swiss cheese by the time he had unloaded the round of ammunition that was in the rifle. 

Zane groaned and snapped to attention then he moved behind Chris and had that authoritative tone in his voice. "Hold it like this." Zane looked down the barrel of the gun getting the star into his sights. "Looks at how I lined it up remember that. Stay stiff; don't let the recoil carry you away. Focus, stand at attention. Now fire, soldier!"

Chris jumped startled be the command. Zane growled he'd messed up the entire shot. Zane set it all up again. "Fell that that's right. Now fire!"

This time Chris did exactly what he was told. The gathered group had grown silent at Zane's outburst. This time Chris shot out the star perfectly. He turned around smiling as the group of carnies cheered. Instead of being met by a pleased face he was met by a stone hard glare from Zane. 

"You're not done yet, soldier. Do it again the same way!" Zane barked behind him. 

The crowd jumped and Zack came to the boy's rescue. "Lay off Zane."

"Again soldier." Zane answered. 

"Set it up again Zack." Chris pleaded eager to impress his new friend. 

Chris did better then he did the first time but still it was nothing like when Zane had set up the shot for him, but he was learning. 

"Again." Zane barked. This time he set the booth up himself and handed the loaded rifle to Chris. "Remember what you were taught, soldier. Be one with you weapon. Fire!"

Chris tried again, better but he still didn't get the whole star.

"Set it up again Zane." Chris pleaded he was excited now.

"What?" Zane's head snapped around to look down on Chris, there was fire in his eye.

"Chill out kido." Zack insisted it this time.

Chris smiled and then looked serious; he'd caught on now. Kids were just better like that. Chris thought Zane was just playing a game with him and Chris played right into his hands. 

"Set it up again, sir." Chris clumsily snapped to attention.

With a curt nod Zane set up the booth again. Chris took what seemed like an eternity to the trained soldier to set up his shot. This time he did shoot out the entire star.

Zane clasped him on the back. "Good job, soldier."

Chris beamed and had Zane set up the booth again. He wanted to be sure he could really do it on his own and now he could. Zane was proud of him; children always learned the best.

Zane had made his first real friend on the outside that wasn't an animal. Chris was a stranger moments ago, but he was never the enemy. Zack saw the world through a convoluted lens. Zane was proud of himself even though he knew that Zack; his CO would have been horrified at his display. He'd shown too much emotion and came close to compromising himself. 

Zane had been traveling with the carnival for a little over a year now. He'd moved on to bigger and better things. His way with animals led him to become a trainer and they even gave him his own show. He trained the dogs to do tricks, they were his own little squadron of soldiers who he could bark commands at without raising anyone's suspicions. Old habits were hard to break. Whenever he happened by Zack's riffle booth they stiff pulled off the old hook. "So simple even this child can do it. So can you, step right up sir." Zane had never been happier. The carnival was really part circus, part sideshow, and part amusement rides. A fair really. Zane always steered clear of the side show people he wasn't afraid of them, really. They seemed like okay people but in the back of his mind Zane new that they were nomies and that he shouldn't associate with them. Every night he stelthed past the tent where they were kept to watch Chris, his two brothers and two sisters do their act. 

'The Flying Infantry' was an amazing family acrobatic act. Chris who was Zane's age was the oldest of the group, his two sisters Natalie and Kelly were twin and the youngest, and they were only seven. Watching their precision as the five flew through the air Zane was reminded nightly of what it was to be free. He envied them for the close nit family they had the five always reminding him of the X-5's. He was floored by the true discipline they shower in their training. He was amazed that when they were done with their training or a show that they were doing they simply returned to being kids; goofing around and playing pranks completely undisciplined. This actually disappointed Zane the first time he had witnessed the breakdown after one of their practices. It was unbecoming of a soldier and Chris as their CO should have known that. Chris explained it to Zane one night 'The Flying Infantry' trained hard, but they weren't soldiers they were performers. True they were performers but they were always kids and family before that. 

Zane just didn't understand it and didn't think he ever would. One night Zane stood watching their act when it happened. The SIC, no the second eldest Zane reminded himself, fell and was hurt. It wasn't for lack of training, but a moment of weakness that had caused the accident. Chris was supposed to catch Sam in the finale like always, after Sam had executed a quintuplet summersault. It always went off without a hitch and was a big crowd pleaser, except for this night. One of the elephants got loose from it's trainer and then suddenly all ten elephants were looses in the center ring below the acrobats. Chris was watching the elephants and being startled his timing was thrown off and he missed grabbing his brother Sam's hand. Sam fell which would have been fine, he should have landed in the net, but he didn't. There was no net for him to land on. 

One of the raging elephants in its stampede of rage had knocked down two of the support poles for the net. Sam went hurtling and crashed into the packed hard dirt floor. Bones cracked. Everything stopped. The spectators gasped. Sam's parent's rushed out from the wings. Sam was trampled by one of the elephants. It broke both his legs. There was the snap only Zane could hear. The fall had shattered his shoulder. Utter chaos. The crowd was ushered out of the tent. Zane rushed to Sam's side catching the foot of another elephant before the boy could be trampled again. Zane then picked up Sam who hung limp like a doll from his arms and brought him into the wings where he'd be safe from the animals, the enemy. In his head Lydecker yelled, "Never go back for a fallen soldier, it could get you killed." Zane wasn't worried about breaking orders, only now more people were yelling.

"Don't you know you should never move an injured person?"

"You could have broken his neck!"

"You could have gotten trampled yourself!"

"What's wrong with you?"

Zane barked back his reply even though he didn't even know whom he was answering. "I was getting him out of the line of fire and into safe territory so that he couldn't get hurt anymore, sir."

"What are you stupid? Risking yourself like that." That was Max the owner, he was yelling too.

The X-5's, no, 'The Flying Infantry' were all crying gathered around Sam. Too much yelling. Too much chaos. The crying. Zane's senses were going to overload. Then somebody hit him!

Everything stopped only this time it was only through Zane's point of view. Chris and Sam's father had hit him. Zane dropped into a defensive stance, but the man had already talking to the doctors about his son. Zane was enraged; it was the first time anyone had hit him in more then a year. Zane had never responded well to being hit. Images and words flashed through his head. Many he hadn't even known had been planted there. Duty. Honor. Discipline. Traitor. Deserter. Enemy. Idiot. Failure. Fake. Danger. He turned and struck out at the nearest thing that didn't move. Up until now Zane had behaved like he was on a covert mission, nothing of Manticore had shown except for the day he had taught Chris to shoot. He'd even kept his barcode and seizures well hidden. No more. 

Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam. Zane punched out one of the remaining support poles bringing it down, actually snapping it in half. He moved on to the wall that separated the spectator's seats from the three rings. Fists flying he made hole after hole until his knuckles bled, but he couldn't stop. He needed to spar. He needed to hit things. No civilian had the right to hit him. The cold hard eyes of that man had reminded him so much of Lydecker's. God he hated that man. He was always yelling and hitting. A hand was on his shoulder. Zane spun and flipped the person, but Chris landed on his feat with a faint smile on his face.

"Thank you for saving Sam."

Zane blinked, his cheeks were wet. It had to be sweat from the exertion, soldiers didn't cry. Zane was crying. He wasn't a soldier anymore, he was a performer and performers could cry.

"The medics said he's going to be okay once his bones heal. Only we can't do the act for a long time. What were you doing?" Chris took one of Zane's bleeding hands into his own.

"Punishment exercises."

"What?"

Zane shook his head. "I had a rough childhood; dad raised me like that." A rough childhood? That was the understatement of the year, he'd barely had a childhood at all. 

"It wasn't your fault Zane, it was mine and I'm sorry dad hit you. He was just all worked up, he sent me over just now to apologize."

Zane was still crying and forced himself to composure with a sniffle. "That's okay. I had a flash back; I tend to get out of control the. I didn't mean to go so nuts." He took deep even breaths to calm himself. "When That happens I just get really mad."

"Your dad used to hit you?" Chris met his gaze with eyes so wide that for a second he was reminded of Jondy.

Zane simply nodded.

"Oh." Chris had a good family. He was always around his siblings and his parents were contortionists for the show. He really didn't know what else to say. He reached out and hugged Zane instead. "I feel horrible. I just wish we could still do the show."

"I could fill in." What? Zane had heard himself say it but he didn't know why. Then it became clear performing was all his friend knew just like being a soldier was all Zane and his siblings had know. He wanted to help him stay in practice, stay in familiar territory. Oh yeah, good job soldier, if teaching Chris how to shoot and the little stunt you just pulled didn't give you away then your speed and agility just might. Go ahead and show off, it just might send you home to daddy Lydecker. Friendship or freedom? Could he keep the first without jeopardizing the other?

"Thanks for the offer Zane but this takes years of training." Chris was smiling despite the situation. 

"I can do it just give me a chance to prove it." Zane had years of training in things that made him the perfect soldier, a human killing machine, he was sure he could pull of this little stunt to help his friend. 

"Fine as soon as we reach the next state you can try. . . we're moving out tonight." Chris answered. 

Always on the move no matter what set back presented itself, no matter what broke down, Zane liked their dedication. He thought Zack would be proud of the solution he found. He helped the other Zack, his father of sorts, pack up his booth and went to wait for him in the trailer. For the first time in a long while Zane had to admit the night had left him exhausted. He swore when he started to feel the familiar tingle at the base of his skull and saw his hands begin to shake. He tried to make it to the refrigerator for a glass of milk; the only thing that seemed to help calm the seizures and ended up in a twitching ball curled up on the dirty floor. Chris Kelly and Natalie came busting into the trailer at that point. Chris panicked and Kelly and Natalie began to cry. Chris called for Zack who came running into the trailer. Zack came running and swore the moment he saw Zane on the floor. 

"Chris get me a glass of milk." The first time Zane had taken a seizure he had explained to Zack that he had a form of epilepsy that only milk had Chris help him gat Zane into the bed. With Zack's help Zane finished the entire container of milk and then fell into a restless sleep. 

Zane woke up hours later, it was really dark outside and the trailer was moving. He was confused. Seeing the young boy and younger girls at the foot of his bed he called out to the siblings he thought they were. 

"Zack, Max, Jondy." Zane smiled.

Chris spoke up because the girls were still crying. He thought Zane was looking for Zack Max and Jody, the owner's wife. "Max and Jody are in the lead trailer and Zack is driving yours. Do you want me to go and get him?"

Zane yawned and shook his head no. "Don't bother him."

"Are you okay?" Chris asked.

"Yeah I'm fine. Old Zane's tough, this happens every once in a while. I get the shakes cause I have epilepsy." Zane explained. "I'm sorry if I scared you girls."

The girls shook their heads in sync, no. They looked so miserable. Zane felt bad for them, how would he feel if he'd almost seen his sibling killed. To see him with two broken legs and a broken arm must have hurt them terribly. How else should they feel? With a jolt Zane's eyes darkened and he knew perfectly well how they felt. He'd witnessed it first hand, not only with their brother but his own. Lydecker and company had taken Krit away during the night and kept him in the infirmary for a whole day before bringing him back to the barracks. They'd done it to Max and a few other's before all in the name of osteo-regeneration. Krit had two broken legs and two broken arms as well as god knows what else broken that he couldn't tell on first glance. They wanted to see how fast the X-5 body could heal and this time Zane thought they had gone too far. Krit was in the worst shape any of them had ever been. Zane had been outraged then and simply felt bad for the little girls now. 

Zane stood up a little wobbly and pointed to a bowl of fruit on the near by table. "Kelly bring that bowl over to Natalie."

"You hungry Zane?" Chris asked him.

"Nope." Zane was a good liar, in reality he was starving but the welfare of his sudo-siblings came first.

One by one Zane asked the girls on alternating turns to throw him things. An apple, a banana, an orange, a cantaloupe, a pear, a pineapple and a few lone grapes. Slowly incorporating each new piece of fruit Zane began to juggle. 

Kelly and Natalie watched wide-eyed reminding him so much of Jondy at that moment. He'd juggled for her once goofing around in the barracks with a bunch of the X-5's socks. They shattered the memory by laughing and clapping and telling her how good he was, gone was Jondy. 

"How'd you learn to do that?" Chris asked. Zane was good.

"My mother was a performer." Zane lied easily still keeping all the fruit in the air. It was easy to lie to them, the carnie code dictated that no one ever pushed questions about another's past before the joined up, anything after was fair game. Carnies seemed to love to gossip. In actuality it was something he had picked up at Manticore, it had been an exercise in had eye coordination when they were young. Quite an easy trick. He had refined the skill by watching the jugglers here for the past year. A little practice while everyone was asleep and Zane looked like he'd known how to do it for years.

"You're good." Kelly giggled.

"Almost better then Brady." Natalie chimed in finishing her sister's thought. 

Brady was the company's main juggler besides the clowns who knew the bear minimal. "Don't tell him that." Zane stuck his tongue out at them. "He might think I'm after his job."

"We won't." Two voices, one answer. They started tossing Zane other things to see what he could keep in the air.

Kelly Natalie and Chris spent the night with Zane in his trailer. Zane slept full the entire night for the first time in a long time. Usually he slept only six hours or less. In the morning Chris woke him up. They were already at the new campsite and Chris said it was time for them to start Zane's training. 

Zane told Chris that he'd meet the four in the tent soon. If he was going to be training he needed to warm up his muscles. He was going to go for a run around the perimeter fence. Zane ran. True he ran slower then he normally would have, purposefully, but he spent almost half an hour circling the perimeter of the fair grounds. Zane showed up at the tent half an hour after Chris had headed over there. The twins were practicing and Chris and Charlie were coaching them. 

"Zane." Chris smiled and trotted over to him. "You need to get into Sam's costume and pull back your hair before we start.

Zane blanched, joy a camouflage leotard, but he'd known it was coming. It was the fact that the scars as well as his barcode would be visible in that outfit. Chris didn't see the uncomforatble look register in Zane's eyes or else he would not have gone with him to change. Zane's arms were littered with small scars Chris dared not ask about. The barcode was another story, it was too interesting to pass up. 

"What's that?" Chris ran his finger over the barcode.

Zane flinched away from his touch. "A tattoo." 

"Of what?" Chris asked innocently.

"Ownership." Lie time again and Zane was growing very good at it. Zane growled at the _memory_. " My father thought that I was his property. I woke up strapped down to a table one night while he was working on it when I was little." Zane's voice was hallow and the Manticore mask was back on his face. 

"Christ." Chris was pale now.

"I would have rune away if he wasn't killed." Zane shook his head. "Let's go warm up."

Chris nodded snapping out of his daze. "Right lets go see what you can do."

Chris led him out of the dressing room and into the center ring. Zane sat patiently as Chris explained the act to him. Zane had seen it a hundred times before and his photographic memory told him all he needed to know. But he nodded and

uh-huh'ed politely as Chris explained it. Then he finally told Zane to climb the latter and get on to the trapezes. The twins were cleared off of the swings and Charlie spotted Zane. 

Zane felt free, like when the did extraction exercises or flying drills back at Manticore. Zane hung from the bar and got his momentum going then flipped through the air effortlessly catching the second bar and the landing on the platform. From his display Chris was impressed and convinced he really didn't need any training. The worked on Zane's timing and execution of the act until it was perfect. 

Chris brought his parent's, Sam, Max, Jody, and Zack in to watch Zane. It had only taken three trials for Zane to get it down beat by beat. Very impressed by the young man's skills Max let 'The Flying Infantry' perform in that night's show. Zane helped Zack out with his booth, ran his dog show, and took Sam's place in the act for three months until Sam was able to come back.

The carnival people were his new squadron. No one ever asked questions besides Chris who Zane trusted. They moved every two weeks. Zane was safe and happy in his new life. He knew it was only a matter of time before one of the other X-5's, most likely Zack, caught the show. Simply happened in on the fair. Zane wasn't sure what would happen then. Zack would not be happy that Zane was in the public eye, but Zane took precautions. When he worked with 'The Flying Infantry' he covered his barcode with makeup. For now Zane was just another runaway kid enjoying the freedom of the carnival life. 


	2. Wide-eyed Dove

****

When the carnival stopped in Wyoming Zane didn't move from his trailer. He pulled the same trick with Washington D.C., claiming that his seizures were just too bad for him to perform. Manticore had been in Wyoming and there was no way that by performing he would let himself get sent home. Home was where the hate was. Home also meant pain and the nomies. Zane was happy where he was now and was just not willing to take that chance. With all the post-pulse chaos Washington was crawling with soldiers. Performing there was a liability Zane couldn't afford to take either. That meant four weeks back to back where he refused to do anything. By the time the carnival had reached Reno he was almost jumping out of his skin. Sam was still out of commission so 'The Flying Infantry' had not put on a single show during the time of Zane's absence. Counting that time Zane was actually part of the act for four months now. 

He though the first time he preformed In Reno with his dog shows that one of the X-5's was in the audience. That night by the time 'The Flying Infantry' went on he was sure of it. He could feel the familiar gaze fall on him and it sent shivers through his body. He wanted to get to know his siblings. He wanted to know that they were okay. He knew Zack was all right and Zack had assured him that the others were as well. Still it would be nice to see the truth for himself. He could tell by the strength (or lack there of) of the gaze that is definitely was not Zack. Try as he might as he flew through the air he just could not pick the soldier out from the rest of the crowd.

He spotted her during his final bow just before his hair fell down into his face. She was strategically seated in the top row or the stadium seats with her back against the wall extremely close to the nearest exit. When he stood up and his eyes focused on the spot again she was gone and Zane convinced himself that it must have been his imagination. The eyes, wide, deep brown, full of the weight of the world, fear and paranoia, he couldn't have been mistaken. It made him think rapid images of the past flashing through his head. Max. Jondy. Syl. Tinga. Brin. Kat. Eva. As well as three others. They were his little sisters, all except Tinga and Brin who were a year and a half-older then he was. Natalie and Kelly bumped into him as the turned to run off into the wings, momentarily jarring him from his daze. He turned again searching the crowd one last time his eyes zooming in on each individual face but not landing on even one that looked familiar. Zane was mad he'd missed his one and only chance at first contact with another X-5 without Zack's interference. It had been a little over three years since the escape and to hell with Zack's orders, they didn't live by orders anymore and Zane wanted more then anything to get to know his siblings. He wanted to hear the hushed sound of synchronized breathing that only their trained ears could hear, the familiar sound of a known heart beat, the tingle that went through his body when they'd brush too close to each other in drills, anything would have been enough for him. Zane had let his guard down as his eyes combed the crowd.

She saw her chance then, perched high above the exit to the wings on the ledge below the stands. She dropped from her post landing soundlessly in a crouched position behind him. She didn't know who he was, his barcode was covered up by makeup. She just knew watching him fly through the air that he was one of them. One of the others, another X-5. As she watched him gracefully tumble through the air she just knew in her bones he was one of them. As she watched him flip through the air she saw herself and the others flipping through the window the night of the escape. She even heard the crash of breaking glass as she saw herself going through the window hand in hand with her sister and she knew she just had to talk to him. She had only had contact with Zack a few times after he had given the order to split up. She knew through him that some of the others had made it out and were out in the world somewhere. She had to know for herself that they were infact okay. She needed to know that Krit and Max and everyone were infact okay. She didn't think this flashy 'dare devil' was Krit, it just wasn't his style. Then again freed from the captivity of Manticore she didn't know what anyone's style had become except Zack, he never seemed to change. All she knew for certain was that for the moment she had the upper hand on him.

It was the familiar swoosh of someone jumping from someplace high and the sound he'd been longing to hear of a familiar heart beat which made the hair on the back of his neck over his barcode stand on end. He wasn't frightened or paranoid or even really taken by surprise he was excited. There was electricity in the air as he turned to face her. Even if he had not caught that fleeting glimpse of her in the crowd he would have been able to tell his assailant was female from the smell she gave off. This was the moment he was sure she was one of his siblings, all the Manticore girls smelled the same, distinctly different from normal females, it was in their genes. Seeing the position her black clad body was in, Zane dropped into a defensive crouch as well. The two circled each other in perfect formation never allowing the other to get close enough to reach out and strike or even glimpse the barcode of the other. Zane was lost for a moment seeing barefoot shaved head, kids, soldiers circling each other on the mats. Twenty soldiers in perfect formation, holding out, the order had been not to let the other come into contact range. She circled him, keeping in that formation the look on her face telling him she recalled the same exercise. She was too small to be Brin or Tinga. Too short to be Eva either, but he wouldn't let himself be tricked into thinking she was still alive, they'd all seen her go down and come to a permanent stop. 'The Flying Infantry' hung in the wings watching the two, neither of whom seemed to notice or care.

She could only be Max, Syl, Jondy or Kat. Katrina had been the shortest of all the X-5's even though she had been Zane's age, it must have been a genetic defect. He continued to circle her, it was like they were dancing. She spun always keeping him directly in front of her but in reality she was after the back of his neck. Who was he? Certainly not Zack, she knew that for a fact. Too tall to be Krit, she squinted at the skin beneath the long hair, damn that makeup! He could only be Ben or Zane, or she saw scaring the hell out of some acrobat, but she didn't think she was wrong about this.

"Identify yourself, soldier." Two harsh identical whispered orders were uttered as the two came to a simultaneous halt. They squared off trying to stare the other down. Cold, restrained and excited pools of green confronting wary, wide and apprehensive deep pools of brown. Who would break first? He moved first pulling his hair back into a ponytail and smirking softly when she flinched. He reached out and handed her a camouflage a part of his costume that he used to keep his hair held back. He turned his back on her then, at the same time checking to make sure the tent was empty of any threat and giving her permission to remove the makeup which hid his Identity. He scanned the rows of seats glad the audience had cleared out. He gave her the hand signal for 'all clear'. The feather light touch at the back of his neck startled him somewhat, a gentle X-5? Maybe she was loosing her touch. Apparently they were all performers of some sort filling self-imposed rolls as to never get caught, to simply fit in and stay out of the line of fire. 

"Zane?" Her voice quivered a little but there was a smile on her face when he turned to look at her letting his hair down again. 

He nodded softly noting the tears that brimmed in her eyes. "Yes, it's me. Now it's your turn little sister." 

She spun around and flipped the hair off of her neck to allow him to glimpse her barcode, but not allowing enough time that anyone watching would have time to even realize the barcode was there. Twelve numbers registered in Zane's head translated from the little black lines he saw on her neck. He quickly put one of their childhood names to the number he knew all too well. 

"Jondy?" 

She nodded and flew into his arms wrapping her own tightly around him. Zane stood stiff for a moment and then gradually melted into the hug letting the strength of his arms comfort her. Were those tears? Yes, she was crying in his arms. Zane had seen Jondy cry on very few occasions once was when she thought she'd lost Max to the nomies. Jondy was very much like Max in almost every way, but she was emotionally stronger then Max. Zane had seen her cry again on the nights when Jack and Ash died, silently after she thought everyone except Max had gone to sleep. Zane was sure she'd cried her eyes out on the night of the escape, for Eva, for Max, for Zack, for Tinga, for everyone they knew they'd lost and everyone they'd left behind. So why was she crying now? The strong arms of the fourteen year old held the sniveling twelve year old close for a while before he thought of something fitting to say.

"It's all right little sister. Everything is okay."

Suddenly and a bit weakly she laughed, a sound that Zane had not heard in a very long time, it sounded almost foreign. "Nice leotard, soldier."

Zane couldn't help himself and started to laugh too, the sound of their laughter mixing in the air. "I know. The camouflage is a little over the top, don't you think?"

She stepped back slowly and looked him up and down before her eyes came to rest, looking up at his face with a faint smile. "Nah, I think it suites you."

"Oh, really?" Zane quirked and eyebrow and laughed faintly.

"Sure," She nodded a big grin on her face before it turned serious again. "It's good to see you haven't lost your shooting skills, Zack would be impressed."

If Zane wasn't so used to wearing that mask he would have blushed at the compliment, instead a look of pride crossed his features briefly. "Oh, you saw me huh?"

"I don't miss much." Jondy winked at him. She'd always had the best hearing of all the X-5's and quite possibly the third best eyesight.

Zane shook his head. "No, you never did. That's actually how I got my job here. Zack and Max saw how good I was and asked if I wanted to work at the riffle booth."

"They're here? Max is here?" Jondy's eyes grew wider and she grinned, extremely jubilant as if a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Zane hated to crush her happiness. "No, not _them_. Max owns the carnival and Zack runs the riffle booth, he's the one who took me in. They're both really good guys."

"Oh." He shoulders slumped and she turned on Zane an angry, disapproving sneer on her face. "You're good, I hope you enjoy it while it lasts. He is not going to approve of this. You're lucky you haven't run across him yet."

"Zack?" Zane was momentarily thrown by her sudden change of emotions, but then he realized he'd hit a nerve. None of them know what happened to Max the night of the escape except for Zack. Jondy probably felt guilty about it since they had been paired up that night, so he let her tone of voice slide. 

"Who else?"

"I know. I've been with them for a little over a year now. It's the best thing I've ever done."

"You really like it?"

Zane nodded. "Wouldn't you?"

"I guess," Jondy smiled. "I wait tables at a dinner back home and live in an apartment with the owner above it."

"This is more fun."

"You're lucky."

"There's no such thing."

Jondy's head snapped up. Zane had sounded exactly like Zack for that moment and it startled them both. 

"Hey Zane." Chris came running over with Kelly, Natalie, and Mike in tow. "Who's your friend?" The gleam in his eyes told Zane that Chris thought Jondy was cute and that she was his girlfriend.

"This is my sister." Zane looked over at Jondy; this was her cue if she wanted to give them and alias. Zane gave her the hand signal for trust, telling Jondy that he trusted these people with his life. 

"Jondy." She nodded shaking hands with the three as Zane made the introductions. 

Zane was in his glory Jondy agreed to stay with him for the remainder of the week. Zane got Zack's permission for Jondy to stay in the trailer with them. On the first full day that Jondy spent with him Zane gave her a tour of the fair grounds. Zane dragged Jondy on each ride the carnival had at least twice. He'd do anything to see her smile. She had such a beautiful smile; it matched her wide dove eyes very nicely. Zane even went so far as to win her a large stuffed black and whit stripped tiger. Granted his carnie friends had let them on all of the rides for free, but Zane won the tiger legitimately from one of the many games of skill the carnival had. Zane had mastered all of the games, he could win any of them, and it was all just a matter of simple calculation and skill. Jondy could have won the tiger on her own, but it was the look in her eyes as she spotted it as they passed the booth that made Zane want to win it for her. The same look was in her eyes when he handed her the big stuffed toy, and it was there again when she hugged him afterwards.

They wandered the fairway all-day and well into the night. Zane came to a screeching halt and Jondy started to laugh, the stuffed tiger tucked safely under her right arm as she walked on his right side.

"What, did you notice that we were walking in step too?"

Zane simply shook his head no in answer to Jondy question.

"Zane what is it?" Jondy followed his gaze up to the near by banner fro the sideshow.

"We have to turn around now." Zane said it softly but it still sounded somewhat like an order.

"Nomalies?" Jondy blanched slightly pronouncing the word exactly as Ben used to when he told his stories.

"Nearest as I can tell." Zane nodded.

Jondy took Zane's hand and pulled him into and about face hurrying in the other direction. Then she stopped and dropped his hand. She squared her shoulders, clenched her fists by her sides, took a deep breath and turned back around. 

"Don't you want to know?" Jondy asked true fear in her eyes and curiosity playing across her face. 

Zane didn't answer her.

"Well I need to know. I need to see them. I need to be sure. How could you have never checked and feel completely safe here? I couldn't and I'm going in, with or without you." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and scowled up at him.

Zane was struck by her courage. He didn't want to go in there but he wasn't about to let his little sister go in there by herself. "Fine, let's go." He sounded dejected and a little beat down.

Jondy grabbed Zane's hand and started off with a purposeful stride towards the tent. Zane allowed himself to be dragged along to what he felt certain was a bad thing. Not quite as bad as the bad place or the basement cells at Manticore, but bad in it's own way. Jondy introduced herself to all the nomies, who really weren't and came up with a good reason for each to turn around. She'd said something about looking for birthmarks, which wasn't far from the truth. Barcodes were issued and in place even before and X series soldier was born. Most of them already knew Zane from his shows or at least knew of him so the introductions went well. Zane was sweating bullets but Jondy seemed oddly calm. Each of them still made a confused face when Jondy asked to see the back of their necks but they obligingly turned and showed them the back of their necks. There was not a barcode in the bunch and both Zane and Jondy were extremely relieved by the time they left the tent. Jondy even sighed and gave Zane's hand a light squeeze. 

"Do you feel better now?" Zane asked when he finally found his voice. He hadn't said a word while they were inside the tent.

"Yes, and you should too. Zack would have killed you if he'd shown up and you hadn't checked that out. That really was a big danger for you, I couldn't have stayed here if I didn't see it. I just can't believe that you let it slip for a whole year."

"Would you have wanted to do it alone?" Zane was revealing a weakness just by asking the question. But this was Jondy his sister so it really wasn't that bad. He'd never have asked Zack such a question. 

"No." Jondy shook her head answering him honestly. "I wouldn't have been able to do it."

Zane wasn't so sure of that. Jondy seemed much surer of herself then she had been at Manticore. She was definitely emotionally stronger. But she'd always been. Zane was almost positive she'd have done it and done fine on her own. Hell she'd been here a day and had worked up the nerve to do what Zane hadn't in almost a year. 

"Together I think we could have taken them if they really were Nomalies," Jondy continued a smile on her face. "In a way we did."

Zane was excited, elated and felt more free. It was like the feeling a young child gets when they finally confront the monster in their closet only to find out that he never really was there. 

Jondy turned to him. "You look tired."

It was a simple observation but Zane took it like a personal attack and responded like a stubborn child. The fact that Jondy and Max hardly ever needed to sleep and Zane was a wreck if he didn't get at least five hours of sleep a night made Zane painfully aware of another weakness in himself.

"I am not." He grabbed her hand and dragged her back up the fairway. "I want to show you something."

Zane ran across the fairway and Jondy kept up with him perfectly. "This is it!" Zane stood in front of the feris wheel.

Jondy shook her head. "Zane we went on that three times already, plus aren't all the rides shut down now?"

Zane nodded at Jondy a funny look in his eye. "Exactly." He dropped her hand. "It's better when everyone is asleep." Zane looked over at the nomie tent, which really wasn't, watching as it cleared out. He also watched the trailers as the lights went out. "It's almost time."

"Time for what Zane?" Jondy said hand on her hips. "You have ride keys?"

"Nope," Zane grinned and shook his head his mane of hair flying, "Where we're going we don't need any keys."

Jondy's eyes twinkled she was always a sucker for a good surprise. Zane watched the group of ticket collectors over by Max's trailer. He also watched the side show people slowly make their way back to their own trailers. He needed to stall for some time still. He turned to Jondy and smiled as she took the cue and sat down next to him on the steps that led up to the ramp that led up to the ferris wheel. 

"So are you going to name your tiger?" Zane asked her quietly.

Jondy grinned. "Sure I am."

"Got any ideas?"

"Um," Jondy bit her bottom lip. "Maybe 24-5."

Zane smiled and shook his head. You could take the soldier out of Manticore but maybe they were all doomed to be like Zack and never rid themselves of Manticore. "You're going to call your tiger X-5?"

Jondy shrugged. "Unless you'd rather me call it X5-339472411217?"

Zane shook his head. "Don't name it after me."

"Why not? You did win it for me . . . and Zane the tiger really sounds a little silly." 

Zane let out a fierce growl only jokingly. "Yeah, I'm no tiger."

"No, you're more of a pussycat." Jondy winked at him.

"I'm no pussycat." Zane punched Jondy playfully in the arm. "Well only partially in my DNA, but . . ."

Jondy laughed interrupting him. "Zane you're a nut."

Zane shook his head feigning seriousness. "No, I'm sure they didn't use any Peanut DNA in me. On the other hand they might have used some in you, Max, Krit, Syl and Kat. It would explain why you were all so small."

Jondy socked him in the arm and this time it actually stung Zane.

"Zane don't be mean."

"I'm not, peanut." Zane ruffled Jondy's hair as he watched the lights in the trailers across the midway going out. "We should be good soon."

"Good little toy soldiers." Jondy scoffed. "Riight. We've never been good. We enjoy breaking orders. We're good at it." She broke into a happy grin.

Nothing could have been truer. Zane nodded softly and then just for the hell of it he leaned over and meowed right in Jondy's ear. His action elicited the exact response that Zane was looking for. Jondy broke into a fit of laughter. Finally after about an half an hour of the two joking around Zane stood up and motioned for Jondy to follow his lead. Zane walked over to stand underneath the Ferris wheel and before he laid a hand on it he turned to Jondy giving her a reassuring grin. Though the words that flew out of his mouth next didn't exactly have the same effect.

"It'll be just like climbing the fence the night of the escape, I know you can do it. This has been my new special spot since we left the vantage point where we could reach the Blue Lady's altar."

Jondy nodded and grinned back at Zane deep inside she understood, there were just some things you couldn't walk away from no matter how hard you tried. "There's a water tower back home that I climb when I'm feeling in need of some guidance and alone time. Alone with your thoughts is when she really listens, or at least it feels like she does."

Zane nodded, he knew she'd understand. "You ready peanut?"

Jondy nodded socked him in the stomach glanced back up the midway and then gave him the go signal. Zane laughed and then began his climb apparently she wasn't too found of the new nickname he had come up with for her. They headed for the top car of the ferris-wheel, hand over hand, foot over foot, the two made the climb with little effort. Zane looked back every step of the way to make sure Jondy was alright. Of course she was. They had been trained for this sort of thing since the time when they had learned to walk, but Zane worried none the less. Just a little, after all what were big brothers for? He had not just gotten Jondy back to see her slip and hurt herself. When they reached the top car Jondy gasped before she settled down into the car next to Zane. 

"It's beautiful." She could see the entire midway all dark and mysterious, all the stars in the sky and on the horizon the twinkling lights of the nearest city miles away. It really was like the view from the top of the barracks back in Wyoming compound. Jondy was suddenly struck with and odd sense of a type of homesickness. She was also bombarded with images and words all over lapping of the many nights she and Max had spent on that roof. Jondy snuggled close to Zane. She just felt safer that way as the two talked away the night. 

Zane opened his eyes to find Jondy looking up at him her head nustled in his lap and a quirky little smile on her lips.

"G'morning Zane. Enjoy your nap?"

Zane rubbed the sleep from his eyes both fists working at individual eyes looking very much like a sleepy child.

"Sure did peanut. How lon-"

This time Jondy didn't let him finish. "You've got to stop that."

"Why? Little sister doesn't like being my little peanut too?"

"No," Jondy blushed. "It's just annoying."

"You know you like it peanut, it's like you're getting a name all over again."

"Whatever."

Zane grinned. "I can't hear you peanut."

Jondy growled and jumped up to her feet ready to spar with Zane.

Zane jumped to his feet too only not to spar. The entire car jolted and tilted with Jondy's sudden movement and he reached out to steady her. "We can't spar here peanut."

Jondy growled. "You're impossible Zane I give up."

"I knew you would. Besides it's cuter then 24-5."He grinned down at Jondy.

She laughed. "Don't pick on a tiger Zane."

Zane looked around. "How long was I asleep?" He questioned Jondy through a yawn pulling her back down to sit on the bench.

"Only a couple of hours." Jondy shrugged offhandedly.

Jondy was lying or maybe Zane had just lost track of time but the sun was just making its way over the horizon. They'd stayed up there much longer then Zane had wanted to. He was afraid that they'd get caught and questioned about how they made it up there. Zane swore and jumped back up to his feet.

"You should have woke me up Jondy we've been up here way too long."

"It isn't a problem." Jondy shrugged. "I don't mind watching you sleep I'm used to watching people sleep."

Zane laughed. "I know that. It's not that. If we're seen coming down from here it could lead to all sorts of problems."

"So then do you want to wait until the ride starts up and just ride it down and hop out when the car stops?"

"No I think that would lead to more questions . . . lets just get down quickly. We should be fine."

Zane pulled Jondy up to her feet. They both stretched out a little and then they started to make their way back down to the ground. They made it down in half the time it took them to originally get up there because they were both rushing. Jondy dropped to a crouch next to Zane just in time to see Max run up to him. 

"Zane what the hell were you doing?"

Zane froze. They'd been caught. Carnie code or not if Max was mad he might ask the sort of questions an X-5 on the run would not want to answer. Max must have known there was something different about the two siblings now. 

"Stupid kids." Max was really upset his face was red with rage his eyes conveying some deep seeded worry. He grabbed Zane by the collar of his shirt and took him by surprise, which was the only reason he was able to lift the young boy off of his feet. 

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" Max shook Zane when he got no answer from the boy. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? And to take your sister up there with you. Don't you have any regard for her life? Any regard for her safety? How could you be so careless? If I ever catch you doing anything like that again I'll throw you out of the company so quickly you'll be lucky of you catch some of the dust we kick off as we leave to choke on. Do you understand me?"

Zane blinked. "Sir yes, sir." It was the normal response to any question yelled at you coming from a persona in the position of authority. 

"Good. I seriously hope you do." Max dropped Zane to the ground though the boy landed in a crouch instead of falling on his rear. Max didn't seem to notice that as he turned and stormed away muttering words he should have been embarrassed to utter around a normal girl of Jondy's age. Though he had no way of knowing that the kids could hear him at long range. 

"What was his problem?" Jondy asked when she'd finally found her voice. The cross man who had her sisters name had reminded her of Lydecker when he was yelling.

"I don't know." Zane shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. Then he reached down and took a hold of Jondy's hand dragging her in to the trailer to have some breakfast with Zack. Over the course of the meal Zane explained their early morning encounter with Max to Zack. Zack made a face then swore and then offered up some kind of explanation. 

"Why do you do it? I assume this isn't the first time you've done it."

Zane shook his head. "Nope."

"Well don't stop doing it if it makes you happy Zane, or if it helps you forget about your problems or whatever. Just don't under any circumstances let Max catch you climbing on there anymore."

"Why not?" It was Jondy who asked the obvious question. "Being up high always made us feel safe."

"Well being the owner Max is always afraid of the liability involved in someone getting hurt here because it would all be on his shoulders, but he has a special aversion to the ferris wheel." Zack took a sip of his coffee. 

Zane asked the question that was hanging in the air. "But why Zack?"

Zack bowed his head for a moment before he answered. "Max's son was dared by a few of his friends to climb to the top of the ferris wheel. He almost made it to the top before he slipped and fell. He hit the ground and never made it back up. He would have been about your age now Zane. After that his wife left him and the carnival and the company is all he's got now. He's kind of over protective. 

A silence hung in the still air of the trailer.

Jondy was always better with dealing with situations in outside world simulations at Manticore. She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry. We didn't know."

Zack shook his head. "How could you kids have known? Just don't let him catch you up there anymore."

"We won't." Zane assured him. 

And they didn't. From that night on when Zane made his special visits to his new high place he always made the trip alone and always made sure that he was back on the ground and inside the trailer he shared with Zack long before sunrise. Jondy and 24-5 the tiger left Zane alone with the promise to keep in touch a mere four days later. Those remaining five days were the best and most important that the two X-5's had experienced since the escape. They knew they really weren't alone and that knowledge made them extremely happy. The carnival moved on just as it always had. Only this time Zane was more confident knowing that at least two of his siblings were okay and holding their own against the world outside the fence. 


	3. The Ringmaster

****

He strode purposefully around the fairway trying to make his deliberate movements seem casual. His hair was short cropped blonde spikes with long bangs and his neck still stung from the time earlier that day when he'd once again had his barcode removed. He wore the clothes of a civilian, a red tee-shirt and black jeans a surfer-esque black and silver beaded necklace around his neck. It was a gift from a girl somewhere who he didn't remember in a place he'd rather forget. He didn't care to remember. She'd been too clingy and too cute and too innocent and at the tender age of sixteen had been convinced she was in love with him. She was an annoying little fly buzzing around him. Emotions were useless wastes of time and he had run from this enemy called love like a child running away from a nightmare. He didn't need anymore nightmares and that was exactly what exposing his heart had turned into. A nightmare. She had died in a car accident that he nor Manticore had anything to do with. He wished he could have blamed them for his loss. The necklace was a constant reminder that he had failed to protect her. It was a useless souvenir to remind him that he was not in control of every situation no matter how hard he tried to be. 

He was supposed to meet up with his co-workers here on their day off. They were late. It drove him nuts that no one cared about punctuality. He had just about been ordered to be here along with the threat of being fired if he didn't show. He knew it was an empty threat and that it was just his bosses way of getting him to go out with the group, but it still had made him angry enough to show up. Now they were running late. Really late, not even tardy anymore. Close to forty-five minuets late and he was getting frustrated. The smell of simulated fear and forced adrenaline in the air. The sound of unchecked screams of mock horror and unwarranted laughter. The false sentimentality of it all was revolting. He felt sick just thinking about the chaos of it all. He would leave if they didn't show up soon. 

The whole place gave him the creeps. He'd chained his motorcycle up to the fence by the front gate and promptly had jumped the fence to avoid paying the charge to get it. Money was a luxury a boy on the run couldn't afford to waste. Especially if the need arose for him to have to relocate again. As it was he traveled enough just to keep an eye on the others. If jumping a fence to get in instead of going over it to escape didn't have him on edge enough this place had a tent full of nomalies that people actually paid to enter. Laughing and screaming and clinging to each others arms as they came out. He simply didn't understand it. He circled bcak to the food pavilion again where he was supposed to meet his tardy co-workers when someone jumped on his back. Zack spun full circle and was about to flip his assailant when he heard a squeal of delight.

"Scott you're such a nut! Put me down."

Scott was the alias he was going by at the moment. The voice of the person on his back belonged to Kelly a girl his age who worked as a secretary in the office of K-pro's warehouse. Kelly was also the owners daughter and a large pain in Zack's neck. 

"Hey Kelly where are your folks?" Zack put her down. 

"Oh they'll be here soon. There picking everyone else up."

"They're late." Zack said bluntly. 

"Yeah. Well it's okay Scotty there's no clock to punch here."

Zack shuddered he couldn't stand that she called him that cutesy little nick name. By the grace of The Blue Lady Scotty! He wasn't a little dog, but he put up with it because he had to.

"Wanna go see one of the shows while we wait for my parents to show up?"

No, but what else was there to do? It had to be better then passing up and down the midway. "Why not?" Zack shrugged. 

Kelly dragged Zack over to the tent where the shows were held and they looked over the schedule. There was a dog show up next. A show where costume clad little dogs did cutesy little tricks. Just what Zack wanted to do with his spare time. It would no doubt be a waste of time, but if Kelly was enjoying herself that's all that counted. The security of his job. 

"Kelly, Scott." And as suddenly as that Zack was saved from the tauter of having to sit next to a giggling, clapping, gushing Kelly by himself. 

His boss Many and his wife Lisa came up to them along with fifteen of their co-workers. Many owned K-pro industries and his wife and daughter worked with him. 

"What do you want to do first?" Lisa asked clapping her hands like an excited child. 

No one really answered her except Kelly and Zack wished she didn't.

"Scott and I were just talking about going to see the dog show mom." Kelly gushed taking Zack's arm.

Zack wriggled free from Kelly's grip dodging the kissy face sissy sounds some of his co- workers were making. It was basically a bunch of awww's. Suddenly not even her own daughter's answer interested Lisa. A stuffed animal in one of the game booths caught her eye and she was gone. Off in her own little world. It was a big stuffed frog on a felt Lilly-pad. Lisa had an obsession with frogs. Her office in the warehouse was covered in pictures, magnets and knickknacks with frogs on them. Her calendar even had pictures of different types of frogs for each month. 

"Oh, Manny." She grabbed her husbands arm. "Win me one of those?" She pointed to the frog. 

Thirty dollars later with Manny and a few of Zack's co-workers giving it a try Lisa was no closer to going home with the prize but she was frustrated and close to tears. It was a simple game really, or at least Zack thought so. It was the kind where you had to knock over a pyramid of three wooden 'milk bottles' and get them clearly off of the platform in one shot. Zack turned to Manny after watching the others fail. 

"Have the nice man set up the game one more time." 

Manny plunked out another three dollars and the guy set up the game again. He handed Zack a large softball and Zack wound u taking his aim. Zack let the ball loose and there was a resounding thwack! Zack had executed the stunt perfectly, all three cartons explosively flying off of the platform.

"I believe the lovely lady wanted a frog." Zack spoke up and pointed out the prize and the attendant handed it to a giddy Lisa.

"I love you Scott!" Lisa hugged the stuffed animal, then a surprised Zack who she almost knocked off of his feet before she gave him a small kiss on the cheek. 

Zack didn't think anything of it and quickly weaseled his way out of her grip embarrassed by the whole incident. It had been easy to win. No sweat. He didn't understand Lisa's happiness at all. She loved him all over a little piece of fluff? It all seemed very silly to him. 

"Good arm Scott." Many clasped him on the back while his unsuccessful co-workers clapped appreciatively. The Manny leaned in and whispered. "Thanks for saving me."

Zack found that very funny and had to laugh. Saving him? Manny hadn't been in any life threatening situation. Though maybe it was to this group of people living in such hard times. Maybe Zack had saved him from humiliation, but he doubted that. He'd definitely saved him from an angry disappointed wife and spending any more money. But if anything it was that and only that which Zack had saved him from. He turned around and came face to face with a pouting Kelly. That couldn't have been good, all of his instincts told him that.

"Daddy I want a stuffed animal too!"

Kelly reminded Zack of s spoiled whiney pre-pulse child who didn't realize that the pulse had devastated daddy's income. (Most likely she would have reminded him of Wonder-boy Cale if Zack had known him yet.) Manny bit his bottom lip and looked down at his only daughter, didn't she realize that it was costing him a considerable amount of money to treat his entire staff to a day at the carnival? By the look on her pouting little face she didn't know or didn't care. She was his little princess and after all nothing was too good to insure her happiness no matter what the cost. Besides it wouldn't cost him much if he let Scott win his daughter the prize. Manny handed Zack a ten dollar bill and turned to his daughter.

"Kelly take Scott with you to find something you like and then meet us by the food tents." He turned to Zack. "I know what Kelly wants, but how about you Scott?"

Free food? Zack couldn't turn that down, but he didn't want to greedy or needy. "Just a slice of pizza."  
**Manny shook his head. "A strong growing boy like you only want a slice of pizza? With all the hard work you've been doing to keep my girls happy." He shook his head and winked. "I'll take care of you."  
"You really don't have too… " Zack started to protest but Kelly grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away, so he had to allow himself to be dragged.**

Some of Zack's co-workers tagged along to see what Zack could do and the rest followed Lisa and Manny to dinner. Kelly dragged them around the entire mid-way twice before she decided what she wanted. She wanted a bear bride and groom set of stuffed animals. Zack put his foot down.

"No, Kelly you just can't win that game."

"But Scotty-" She whined.

"Pick something else." Zack winched.

There was just no way to win that game. You threw a rubber ball on to a board with little colored squares with holes in the center and ball bounced around until it landed, hopefully, in the square that you bet on. There was no skill to it, only chaos and chance. The sign said it was cantered on luck, but Zack luck didn't exist. Kelly stamped her foot and was just about to set in on pouting and throwing a fit when she went all gogglely-eyed. 

"Oh, Scotty that's the one I really want." She clung to his arm pointing the piece of fluff out to him. It was a stuffed pink poodle with sparkles in it's fur. 

Zack nodded now this was something he could do and do well. He paused hearing the yapping from the dog show and cringed glad he had missed out on that torture, and then stepped up to the booth. It was a rifle game set up like a shooting range where you had to shoot a little red star out of the center of a white card held up on a chord. The guy set up the booth and with a zip the card flew along the chord to the back of the booth as the attendant handed him the loaded riffle. Zack leaned down on the padded counter top and took aim his vision zeroing in on the star then shot out the star without any problem. Behind him Kelly jumped and squealed at the noise clinging to the arm of one of the twenty two year old buff stock boys. Zack handed the stuffed poodle to Kelly who hugged and kissed him.

"Thank you Scotty." She rested her head on his shoulder.

Zack stiffened but didn't offer any resistance as they walked away. Zack heard the attendant whose name tag had read Zack whistle and mumble, 'Damn I'd love to see that kid and my boy and my boy Zane in a shoot out contest. He might even be better then Zane.'

Zane? Zane had dropped out of contact with Zack's voice mail contact system a year and six months earlier. He knew Manticore didn't have him Zane was just always very good at following orders to a tee. Zane had gone into extreme hiding, Zack was sure of it, something had driven him to simply want to disappear for a while. This man's Zack's son who happened to be named Zane wouldn't be his brother Zane. Zane would not have been so dependent on others as to need a family. Krit, Syl, Jondy, Max, Kat and Ben had all been placed with adoptive family's because they were so young. Zane wouldn't have wanted or needed a family. 

"Huh?" Someone shook him out of his daze. 

"How'd you do that Scott?" The stock boy, Carl who Kelly had been hanging out spoke up. "Get so good at all those games I mean?"

Zack was glad for a reason to de-tangle himself from Kelly. "Practice. I travel around alot and my parents used to have one of those fun centers before the pulse. Now that I'm on my own carnivals have always been a good waste of time."

Carl chortled. "You must have alot of free time."

Zack nodded. "Something like that."

When they got to the food pavilion Kelly ran to her parents gushing and showing them the stuffed dog. Zack gave the eight dollars change back to a surprised Manny who handed Zack his food. A tray with a slice of pizza, a large soda, a hamburger, a hot dog and french-fries. 

"You did it again Scott." Manny laughed. "You must be really lucky."

"There's no such thing as luck." Zack answered deadpan around a mouthful of food. 

"Luck had nothing to do with it." Carl spoke up. "This boy's got skills."

Zack nodded and shrugged it off all at once. He was too busy eating to really recognize the praise. 

"Slow down Scott. Jeez, you make it look like you haven't eaten in days." Lisa joked. 

"Leave him alone Lisa he's a growing boy." Manny stuck up for him winking again. "I used to be like that too. Growing boys are bottomless pits."

Zack deliberately slowed down the speed at with which he attacked his food. In reality it hadn't been day but closer to a week that he'd put off eating. It saved alot of money and he was planning on visiting Krit and maybe Syl soon. They only lived a state apart from each other right now. Zack almost had enough money for the trip as well as two weeks vacation from work coming up when he planned to take the trip. 

Zack finished his food at a somewhat normal pace and then he had the urge to check the contact system. In the field you trusted your instincts along with you strength and skill. Zack knew it was just all the thinking he'd been doing about his siblings, but he still made the excuse that he had to use the bathroom and went off to find a payphone. He had to make sure that everyone had checked in for the week anyway. He was surprised to hear that he had ten new messages. Nine sibling he expected all checked in with 'All clear on the western front.' It was corny but it worked. If a person 'had the wrong number' they needed to talk to Zack. 'I'm taking a vacation' meant something had come up and they had relocated on their own and the emergency code was 'Blackout'. The tenth message took him by surprise. 

It was Zane. He said that he had taken a vacation a while ago and that he was sorry he'd been away for so long. All was clear on the western front yet he though he had the wrong number. He'd left no number for Zack to call back though, it usually went like this: "I think I have the wrong number I'm looking for___-___-___ followed by the number that Zack could reach them at. It was strange for Zane to use the code that explicitly said he needed to talk to Zack but then to not leave a number for Zack to talk to him at. Zack took this as a good sign and decided it meant Zane would check back in. It was just strange. Zack couldn't even hear anything in the background of the message that would give him any clue as to where Zane was. Maybe Zane just didn't want to be found right now. 

"Scotty!" Zack winched and jumped a bit slamming down the phone. "I found him you guys!" 

The group of co-workers gathered around Zack and seemed excited. Lisa handed them all the same amount of ride tokens and then let everyone go their separate ways making them promise that they'd all meet up for the final show of the night in the main tent. Carl and a few of the younger guys stuck around Zack and Kelly was right there with them. She looked a little hurt as she turned to Zack which he couldn't understand.

"Scott who were you talking to?" There was a tone of accusation behind Kelly's question. 

"My little brother." Zack said simply, it wasn't a complete lie. 

"You have a little brother?" Kelly squealed. 

"Yeah." Zack ran his left hand lightly through his hair.

"How come we've never seen him?" Kelly batted her eyes at him.

Zack sighed. "The government separated my siblings and I when our parents died right after the pulse. I try and look out for them and send them money when I can." That wasn't far fro the truth either. 

"You're the oldest like me." Carl was nodding, he thought he understood. 

"So what are we going to go on first?" Kelly clapped her hands tired of this conversation already. 

She reminded Zack of her mother an hours or so ago, exactly like her. Zack suppressed a shudder and fakes his excitement as best he could when he was on the rides with the others. Thoughts of Zane's well being were all he could really concentrate on. The simulated thrills did nothing to excite him or put his mind at ease. Why would one want to be strapped into a machine that reeked of the sweat, fear and emotions of strangers? It especially did nothing for him, not with Kelly squealing and latching on to his arm during almost every ride. He favorite was a roller coaster that looped sideways and upside-down and a half circle shapes thing which simply went upside-down over and over again. Zack was very glad when their tokens ran out and the show was about to start. He was really beginning to tire of all this co-worker forced togetherness. Then he was mortified when Kelly insisted having one of the seats next to him. It wasn't like Zack didn't expect it; he just simply was getting fed up with her. 

Zack was lost in his own world of thought throughout most of the show. He didn't really see or hear anything that was going on in the three rings. Clown's, animals, contortionists, sword swalowers, what good did watching any of this really do for anyone? Who would pay good money year after year to sit in these dirty uncomfortable chairs? Submitting themselves to a place where everything was sticky and smelly and full of fake emotions? He never really understood the emphasis people placed on emotions...

"Oh, Scotty look!" Kelly grabbed Zack's arm dragging him back to the moment. 

Acrobats. A six-person trapeze act named "The Flying Infantry." Of all the ridiculous names and if that wasn't bad enough they were dressed in camouflage leotards, quasi-combatboots slipped over their stocking feet and these dark black silk capes. Zack couldn't help but laugh. It was funny looking as these children sloppily saluted one another, all except on who seemed to really take his "role" as a soldier seriously. Zack also couldn't help but think of how good they were at what they did for normal kids. They exhorted a respect for what they did and for each other and it showed in their disciplined synchronized movements.

Zack was actually enjoying watching this act. One of the boys stood out from the others, the same one from before, and Zack couldn't seem to take his eyes off of him. There was something hauntingly familiar about the eldest longhaired boy. He moved with the grace of an X-5 but there was no barcode on the back of his neck and as far as Zack knew he was the only one of the escapees to try and get his removed. The two oldest boys swung through the air somersaulting side by side in sync at the same time a clown down in one of the rings knocked something over which shattered. Boys in camouflage somersaulting through broken glass, that was all the assault on Zack's senses took before he was gone. 

*****

Zack lead the line of soldiers around the corner and into the room of their final destination inside the Manticore walls. This was the last room they would ever see here if everything went as planned. Jace had hung back fear finally getting the best of her, Avi too. They had been good soldiers perhaps too good for their own good. Zack had given the all clear, keep your eyes open, and follow me commands through hand signals. Now twenty pair of trusting yet frightened eyes turned to him for their next move. Some of the squadron had backed out before they left the barracks as Zane had predicted, some were no longer in a condition where they could participate like Jack, Ash and Eva and Locke was in the infirmary, but what he was left with was a good set of soldiers. 

"This is it. Form here on in there is no backing out. It's all or nothing. If anyone wants to back out do so now." Zack pointed back to the door they had just come through. "I won't think any less of you." He took a deep breath. "You all remember where and when to rendezvous with me once we're past the fence?" It was a statement more then a question, twenty heads nodded. "I'm proud of all of you."

He knew each soldier had a photographic memory to a degree. He also knew that they all needed a little reassurance at this time. He knew they were greatly pressed for time and he called out a quick thanks to the ones who had agreed to be distractions had anything gone wrong. Zack then reverted back to hand signals. He broke his family up into pairs of two saluting each one as her did so. It was his form of good-bye and good luck even though he really didn't believe that luck existed. Then he gave the pairs an order to stand in and nodded softly pride filling his features as they all fell into line. It was himself and Zane, followed by Max and Jondy and then everyone else. The glass shattered and soldiers tumbled the air in sets of two. Brothers and sister. This family of acrobats was just too much.

****

"Scott are you okay?" It was Kelly's annoying teenaged voice and her hand on his knee that brought him back to reality. How could that teenaged girl have known that he was in distress? Confused, sweating, lost, his heart almost pounding out of his chest. Could she tell? No.

"Scott you're shaking."

She'd blindly left out the fact that he was pale as a ghost and drenched in a fine sheen of sweat. Zack bolted out of his seat knocking over Kelly's popcorn. She gasped and started to ask him again but he cut her off. "I'm not feeling so well."

This time Zack really did go into the bathroom. He locked himself into a stall and sat down on the toilet with the lid closed. He'd had flashbacks before but never in front of other people. He was confused and disgusted by his great display of weakness. It was a boiling hot, well at least warm summer day, no one was in grey hospital gowns, they were miles away from the nearest forest, there were on soldiers and that boy was not one of his siblings. Nothing in that tent had matched the escape enough to trigger any memory. Zack was angry with himself. There was no way that Zack would allow himself to become physically sick over it. Kelly would have been a much better reason; she really did sicken him with the way she fawned over him. 

Zack found himself on the floor in the midst of a seizure before he had even blinked. The flashback, the sweats, that tingly feeling at the back of his skull, all should have warned him. He'd ignored the signs. He must have been in the bathroom for a while popping typtophan pills and waiting for the shakes to subside because Kelly sent Carl to go and look for Zack. 

"Scott, hey Scott, you okay man?" When he wasn't answered Carl kicked in the only door that happened to be locked. There was Zack/Scott curled up between the wall and the toilet shaking with a bottle of pills clutched in his hand. 

"I'm not sick." Zack managed. He was still twitching but the shakes had died down considerably. "Listen Carl you can't tell them about this. I don't want to get fired."

"It's okay. I understand man, with all your siblings to look out for and all. What's wrong with you?" Carl asked truly concerned as he took a seat next to Zack on the closed toilet. 

"Epilepsy." Zack's shakes were almost stilled. "Do me a favor and tell them I got sick and went home? All the food with that damn favorite upside-down ride of Kelly's, it just didn't sit well with me. Tell then I'll be fine and in work on Monday."

"Sure thing." Carl's hand fell on his shoulder. "You want me to stay with you?"

"No I'll be fine Carl; this episode's almost over. Thanks."

"No problem Scott, your secret's safe with me. Feel better okay?" Carl pulled his bulky frame to his feet.

"I will. I'm just glad that it hasn't happened at work yet."

"Yeah good thing." Carl nodded. "Get home safe all right?"

Zack nodded and then Carl left him. He decided that he had to go and talk to that boy. There was just something about him that made Zack curious. If seeing him was a trigger then he just had to talk with him, had to know. There was just something, even if he was wrong and the boy wasn't an X-5 he'd recover by complementing him on his acrobatic skills. It was just something Zack had to investigate. The shakes had finally stopped. Even people who had never gotten them at Manticore got them everyone in a while now since the Manticore meds had stopped. Zack pulled himself up off of the floor and popped a few more pills before he left the stall. 

He found his way back to the main ring area and snuck into the back stage area. Clowns were changing costumes and props were being moved all in preparation for the shows big finale. Zack grabbed the first person he saw and asked where "The Flying Infantry" was. He was directed to another room. The moment he opened the door the boy Zack was looking for froze. He turned to Zack and stared open mouthed at him. Then he jumped up from where he was seated in between two identical girls and dragged Zack into an empty room shutting the door behind them. 

"Zack?" The boy gasped.

Zack dropped into a defensive crouch, he still didn't know who this person was or what kind of threat he posed.

"What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

Zack couldn't answer him because he didn't know whom he was supposed to have found, but ideas were running through his head. He couldn't be Ben his hair was too light. Then the conversation at the rifle range came back to him. Zack squinted at the boy. 

"Zane?" Zack sounded unsure of himself.

"Yes big brother it's me." Zane smiled.

"Prove it." Zack was on edge. 

"X5-339472411217, sir. How did you find me?"

"Luck?" Zack shrugged relaxing a bit. 

"I thought you believed that didn't exist." Zane said sarcastically.

Zack nodded his affirmation leaning up against the wall. "You're right Zane, but nothing else explains it. What happened to your barcode."

Zane blanched and blushed all at the same time. "Make-up, yours?"

"Laser tattoo removal."

Zane winced and nodded. "Ah."

"Acrobatics?" Zack shook his head and yawned then he popped two more typtophan pills to be on the safe side. 

Zane nodded. "And animal training and I run the rifle booth. Are you okay?"

Zack nodded curtly.

"Zack." Zane knew him too well to let him get away with that. 

Zack nodded. "I seized earlier and it really snuck up on me that's all."

"Oh."

Zack sighed. "Why did you break contact Zane?"

"I didn't think you'd approve." Zane answered honestly scratching at where his barcode should have been. 

"I do and I don't." Zack stifled a yawn. "It's good to see you're alright."

Zane nodded. "It's good to see you again big brother."

It was as if a memory struck Zack and he stiffened. "You trust these people?"

"Sir, yes sir." Zane snapped to attention.

"Drop the formalities Zane. How can you trust them? They have an entire tent dedicated to Nomalies."

"They don't know about Manticore. They don't as questions about my past or my barcode; there's a carnie code. They're good people Zack and we move around every two weeks."

"That's the reason I really don't entirely disapprove of you being here. But I can't approve of you being in the spotlight like that. And then there's that." Zack shivered lightly. "That tent."

"Oh, Jondy and I checked that out. They're not Manticore just strange normals, not one barcode in the whole bunch."

"Jondy is here?" Zack bolted forward off of his post against the wall. 

Zane groaned knowing his mistake. "No. We went through the town she lived in and she recognized me, her foster family let her stay with me for a week until the troupe picked up and left. She grew up Zack."

"You all have Zane." Zack's voice was flat. 

That sounded weak even for Zack and Zane's curiosity was peaked again. "How long was your episode?"

Zack scratched at the back of his neck and then cracked his neck as he did so. Then he yawned and looked down at his watch. That was something he kept on the others and enforced that they kept track of. They knew they were in trouble if the episodes got too long. He honestly didn't know. "From the end of your act until just before I found you."

Zane looked at the clock. "Fifteen minuets? That pretty long Zack."

"I haven't had on in almost two months." Zack shrugged softly. 

"So are you going to stay with me?" Zane stopped for a second and grinned. "Actually I insist that you stay for the night."

"Yes sir." Zack grimmaced and smirked. 

"Admit it you could use the rest." Zane smirked.

Zack shook his head and leaned back against the wall. "I'm fine."

Zane was about to bite off a retort, he knew Zack better then Max and Jondy did, sometimes Zane thought he knew Zack better then Zack did. Kelly stuck her pigtailed head through the door before Zane could answer. 

"Zane it's finale time." She grinned her toothless grin and spoke in an excited voice. 

"Let Sam go in with you guy's." Zane answered her. "I'm busy."

"Zane who's he?" She asked innocently pointing to Zack.

"My brother-" Zane said leaving Zack the same opening that he had offered Jondy.

"Scott." Zack answered. 

Zane raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He swatted the little girl away. "Kelly I'll be in the trailer after the show." He promised her and she sped out to the ring again. 

The moment she left the room Zane spun on Zack. "Scott?"

"It'll make it easier if I decide to stay. I still know people in this town." Zack said. "If we're going can we go before the tent clears out." The little girl's appearnce seemed to have him on edge, but really it was her name. 

Zane grinned at Zack's uncomfortableness. "Escape and evade?"

Zack sighed he was pale and his left hand twitched still. "Avoiding my co-workers. I told them I was sick.

"You are." Zane said sternly. 

"Can we go now?" Zack even in his weakened state was still on edge, his eyes darted around the room and he seemed frustrated. 

Zane nodded and with a hand on Zack's shoulder he began to leave heading towards his trailer. Zack tried to shrug Zane's hand off but secretly was glad for his help. 

Zane and Zack had caught up quickly over a glass of milk in the trailer. Then Zane insisted that Zack take a rest. 

"I don't sleep."

Zane shot Zack a dirty look. "You're not Max or Jondy."

"Much." Zack finished and yawned. 

"Zack please." Zane finished his sentence in a thought; 'Let someone take care of you for a change.'

"Yes sir." Zack saluted Zane mockingly. "Do me a favor and get out of that thing, it's creepy."

Zane nodded down at his leotard. "No problem Zack." He pointed through a door. "Go take the top bunk." 

Zane had gone into the bathroom to change and by the time he came out Zack lay rigid with his hands at his side his head facing towards the door on the top bunk, and he was out cold. Zane grinned softly glad that Zack felt secure enough with him to let his guard down. Or maybe Zane was fooling himself and the seizure had taken more out of Zack then even Zack had realized. 


End file.
